Handheld wick holder and advancer

ABSTRACT

A wick management apparatus includes a base and a housing. The base defines a receptacle to hold wicking media. The housing engages at a first end with the base. The housing includes a tube extending away from the first end. The tube defines a first interior channel between the first end and an exit hole on a sidewall of the tube. The tube also defines a second interior channel between an entry hole on the sidewall of the tube and a hole at a second end of the housing. A length of the sidewall between the exit hole and the entry hole is configured to support pressure of a user&#39;s thumb against the wicking media and translational movement of the wicking media between the exit hole to the entry hole.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/832,348, filed on Apr. 11, 2019, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

SUMMARY

Embodiments described herein relate to embodiments of a wick, commonly wax coated, used in smoking, or moving flame from a lit object to an object that is desired to be lit.

Embodiments described herein provide one or more of the following benefits: improved method of holding, one handed use, advancing and elongated burn time, withdrawing and extinguishing a wick, and self righting.

In an embodiment, two components work to store a cartridge of wick, or wicking media, and allow the user to advance a length of wick through a tube which moves the lit portion away from the user's hands. The lit portion, if left alone, will self-extinguish, or the user can choose to extinguish the flame at any time through the same mechanism by pulling the wick into the housing, suffocating the flame. If the user extends the lit wick, it will increase the amount of time the wick will burn.

Other aspects and advantages of embodiments of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, illustrated by way of example of the principles of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 depicts an isometric view of an embodiment of the assembly for wick management.

FIG. 2 depicts an isometric exploded view of an embodiment of the assembly of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 depicts an isometric view of an embodiment of the assembly of FIG. 1 with the wick cartridge inside and wick fed thru the guide holes and exiting the assembly's guide tube.

FIG. 4 depicts a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the assembly of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 depicts a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the assembly of FIG. 1 in functional configuration with an installed wick.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

It will be readily understood that the components of the embodiments as generally described herein and illustrated in the appended figures could be arranged and designed in a wide variety of different configurations. Thus, the following more detailed description of various embodiments, as represented in the figures, is not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure, but is merely representative of various embodiments. While the various aspects of the embodiments are presented in drawings, the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale unless specifically indicated.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims rather than by this detailed description. All changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.

Reference throughout this specification to features, advantages, or similar language does not imply that all of the features and advantages that may be realized with the present invention should be or are in any single embodiment of the invention. Rather, language referring to the features and advantages is understood to mean that a specific feature, advantage, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, discussions of the features and advantages, and similar language, throughout this specification may, but do not necessarily, refer to the same embodiment.

Embodiments of a wick management assembly are described herein. In an embodiment, the assembly includes a plug 30, a wick cartridge 40, and a housing 20 (see FIG. 2). The components of the assembly may be manufactured of a combination of known and widely used materials is formed by current and widely known means of fabrication. An embodiment of the plug 30 includes a base 1 with an exposed segment and a wick cartridge receptacle 2. When the base 1 is engaged with the housing, a portion of the base extends from the housing 20. In an embodiment, the housing 20 includes a bell-shape, taper and tube section. In an embodiment, the presence of exit ramp 11 and exit guide hole 6 and entry ramp 12 and entry guide hole 7 allow the wick to bypass a mid-section of the guide tube 8 for thumb actuation by the user. The size of the interior diameter 9 of the guide tube 8 allows the wick 4 to pass through the guide tube 10. The size of the inner diameter 9 relative to the outer diameter 10 of the wick 4 also facilitates extinguishing a flame by reducing available oxygen below combustible levels as the wick 4 burns down into guide tube 8 or is proactively retracted into the guide tube 8.

FIG. 1 defines the section view for FIG. 4 and shows an embodiment of the assembly in isometry, without the wick cartridge 40 installed. The reservoir 5 is depicted as opaque with exit guide hole 6 and entry guide hole 7 visible on the drawing's right side. For purposes of illustration, the base 1 of the plug 30 is opaque and is press fit into the reservoir 5. In other embodiments, other means of joining could be utilized and implemented and attached to other known means of connecting two physical structures, such as a hinge, flexible joint, or threading.

FIG. 2 shows certain components of an embodiment of the assembly in explode view. The plug 30 with its base 1 and tapered wick cartridge receptacle 2 are seen at the bottom. Above the plug 30 is the wick cartridge 40, which may include a wick coil 3 or other type of bulk wicking media with wick 4 protruding. At the top is the housing 20, with its reservoir 5 at its bottom. The exit guide hole 6 and entry guide hole 7 are illustrated on the right of housing guide tube 8. The housing guide tube 8 continues upward ending in an exit of inner diameter 9.

FIG. 3 defines the section view for FIG. 5 and displays an embodiment of the assembly in isometry with the base 1 at the bottom of the housing 20, and the wick 4 is feeding up from its place in the plug 30 out from the housing guide tube 8 at exit hole 6 and entering back at entry hole 7. The wick 4 then exits the housing guide tube 8 at inner diameter 9 with the wick tip 10 exposed.

FIG. 4 shows in an embodiment in section view how the plug 30 and housing 20 come together, as well as the tapered sides of the wick cartridge receptacle 2. FIG. 5 illustrates in detail the pathway in an embodiment of the wick 4 from the cartridge 40 in its place in the tapered sides of the wick cartridge receptacle 2. The wick 4 makes its way up the reservoir 5 and, after hitting guide ramp 11, exits out through guide hole 6. The wick 4 then passes through guide hole 7, down guide ramp 12 and moves through housing guide tube 8 before exiting the assembly at inner diameter 9, exposing the wick tip 10.

In the above description, specific details of various embodiments are provided. However, some embodiments may be practiced with less than all of these specific details. In other instances, certain methods, procedures, components, structures, and/or functions are described in no more detail than to enable the various embodiments of the invention, for the sake of brevity and clarity.

In an embodiment, an assembly having the characteristic of storage and actuation of a length of wick providing the user the ability to advance and withdraw said wick, and to advance and withdraw and extinguish a lit wick.

Multiple benefits may be derived, including but not limited to the following items. The ability of the user to extend the length of wick needed, increasing the length of burn time before natural extinguishment. The ability of the user to withdraw the wick, shortening the length of burn time before natural extinguishment. The ability of the user to fully retract the wick, extinguishing the flame at that time. Embodiments of this new implementation which uses a modular assembly allows for various modifications of the design elements. These make the design safer and easier to use as compared to existing methods.

The assembly has the characteristic of supporting the wick as it is moved away from the user's hand, increasing the accuracy by which the user can ignite their desired material, and the control and therefore safety the user has when interacting with flame.

Although specific embodiments of the invention have been described and illustrated, the invention is not to be limited to the specific forms or arrangements of parts so described and illustrated. The scope of the invention is to be defined by the claims appended hereto and their equivalents. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An apparatus to manage a wick, the apparatus comprising: a base defining a receptacle configured to hold wicking media; a housing to engage at a first end with the base, the housing comprising: a tube extending away from the first end, the tube defining: a first interior channel between the first end and an exit hole on a sidewall of the tube; and a second interior channel between an entry hole on the sidewall of the tube and a hole at a second end of the housing; wherein a length of the sidewall between the exit hole and the entry hole is configured to support pressure of a user's thumb or finger(s) against the wicking media and translational movement of the wicking media between the exit hole and the entry hole.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the housing is further configured to facilitate the translational movement of the wicking media in a first direction out of the exit hole and into the entry hole.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the housing is further configured to facilitate the translational movement of the wicking media in a second direction out of the entry hole and into the exit hole.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the base comprises a rounded, weighted bottom surface configured to allow the apparatus to rock upright when disposed on a flat surface.
 5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the base comprises a flat bottom surface. 